Communication cables such as electrical and fiber optic cables, are often spliced or stored in duct work or an enclosure for later expansion of a network. The cables are normally jacketed in a sealed enclosure that has to be invaded in order to make the desired splice connection. Problems sometimes exist due to a poorly sealed cable assembly. Various designs have been employed to minimize adverse cable splice exposure.
One problem that sometimes occurs is that due to deterioration of various materials in a cable assembly over a period of time, a seal assembly may have to be repaired in the field. Unfortunately, various seal assemblies presently available are not particularly installer friendly. In some instances, an undesired manual operation has to be performed in the field, i.e., drilling a cable through bore in the seal assembly. Further, it has been found that when cables have been installed in the drilled bore holes and the seal assembly placed in a cable splice housing, the seal is not entirely satisfactory. A room temperature vulcanizing (RTV) material, mastic, tape or sealant has to be employed in the field at the location of the cable and corresponding bore to provide the requisite sealing and protect the cable splice from environmental exposure, i.e. dust, dirt, vermin, and moisture.
Further, it has been found that some seal assemblies are manufactured to custom fit a particular size cable. The difficulty experienced with this type seal arrangement is that a relatively large inventory of seal assemblies is required for use with different size cables. What is desired is a single seal assembly which can accommodate different size cables.
Additionally, it has been found that, in some instances, when a particular seal assembly is installed at a job site, the components of the seal assembly, when tightened during installation, do not always provide for uniform sealing throughout the seal assembly. Rather, upon tightening, the seal components generate uneven forces that sometimes produce an undesired seal assembly.
What is desired is a seal assembly which can be utilized with a housing, conduit, or cable splice assembly in which the seal assembly accommodates various size cables free of having to perform a drilling operation in the seal assembly, either at the factory or in the field.
Further, it is desired to have a cable seal assembly which, when installed, provides the desired sealing characteristics in that the cable(s) stored or spliced within cable housing is protected from adverse environmental exposures, i.e., dust, vermin, dirt and moisture.
Moreover, it is desired to have a seal assembly that is relatively installer friendly in that the seal assembly will permit various sized cables to be relatively readily utilized with the cable seal. Further, it is desired that the seal assembly be relatively easily assembled as a barrier seal and disassembled easily to accommodate cable penetration. Moreover, the seal assembly must be relatively easy to assemble or disassemble during a cable/enclosure maintenance procedure.